A Study on The Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Quantity Surveying Students in The Malaysian University

The growing demand for Quantity Surveying (QS) professionals in Malaysia underscores the need for effective educational strategies to produce competent graduates. However, current mismatches between teaching methods and students’ learning styles have led to dissatisfaction among employers. This research aims to identify the learning style preferences of undergraduate QS students at a private Malaysian university. A literature review identified the four learning styles of the VARK model (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic) and their relevance across various fields of study, alongside factors influencing learning and key QS courses. An online questionnaire was distributed to 148 QS students to collect data on their learning style preferences. The results indicate that Visual learning is the most preferred style, with a mean rank of 5.74, followed by Kinaesthetic (mean rank of 5.69). Auditory and Read/Write styles are less favored and show more consistency across academic years. Statistically significant differences were found: Visual and Kinaesthetic preferences differed between academic years. The study explored how undergraduate Quantity Surveying (QS) students’ learning styles impact their performance in Measurement of Building Works, Professional Practice and Procedure (PPP), and Estimating. Using Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient, positive correlations were found for all learning styles—Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinaesthetic. Kinaesthetic learning correlated most strongly with success in Measurement of Building Works and Estimating, due to the practical nature of these subjects. The Read/Write style showed the highest correlation with performance in PPP, emphasizing the role of textual materials. These results highlight the benefit of aligning teaching methods with students’ learning preferences to improve academic outcomes. These findings suggest that aligning teaching methods with students’ Visual and Kinaesthetic preferences can enhance academic performance. The study provides a reference for educators to tailor their strategies and for industry and government bodies to develop training programs that better align with students’ learning styles. Future research should involve a larger sample and explore additional factors, such as parental education and cultural influences, to further refine educational approaches and support diverse learning needs.